Bad wire in armored cable.

[1crosscut]

Suspect a faulty wire inside the armored cable. Not having removed the wire from one before how does one do this? It is an Electrolock.

[1crosscut]

I have the end by the distributor turned so it’s loose and it moves freely in the armored cable but neither end will come loose.

[1crosscut]

Got it out. Insulation on the wire was like powder.
Sorry for the false alarm

[Patrick L.]

If you replace it , good. Let us know.
I think most change the cable.

[Conaway2]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Got it out. Insulation on the wire was like powder.
Sorry for the false alarm

How did you get it apart ??

Thanks - Jim

[rotorwrench]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Volume 5 of the MAFCA How To Restore series of books has instructions for replacement of the internal wire for both the 1928 through early 30 and the 1930 through 31 types. They are different in the way they are constructed so there are different procedures. Any electrical device that has bent tabs or edges to secure parts like the rear cover cap on some and the cable end fitting, will require care to not break things during disassembly and reassembly but there are ways to reproduce the threaded cable end fitting if a person has access to a lathe.

As was mentioned, the whole cable assembly is still reproduced so a person can go that route if need be. A person should check the length of replacement parts to make sure it's the correct length for either the early or the late type.

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by Conaway2

How did you get it apart ??

Thanks - Jim

I clamped the cable in a vise and screwed the ends off of the cable. Not a very friendly piece to get apart and I diddled up some of the insulating bushing in the process. The first time doing something has a bit of a learning curve it seems and I will be ordering a replacement cable and will not be repairing this one. In the future I will stand a much better chance of fixing a bad one if one should ever cross my path again.

In Snyder's catalog it states that the 30/31 cable is slightly longer but doesn't state the length of either of the cables. The Roadster the cable is out of is an early 30. Does anyone know the length of the cables? I will ask when ordering but wonder if one gets the longer cable where it should have been the shorter cable will it be problematic.

[Ed in Maine]

A little while ago I had a similar problem and a defective Electroloc Switch. I gathered up all the parts and sent them off to Dick Crabtree. You can find him on the internet. This switch and cable came back to me looking like it came out of a Ford dealership in 1931. The price was very reasonable. Do not throw away any of the parts, the original switches are getting difficult to find. Ed

[rotorwrench]

The early type is shorter at 29" + or - 5/16". The late type varies between 30.5" and 31".

For future reference, the early type has spring type contact terminals on both ends but the late type just routes the wire right into the armored cable from the internal switch then on down to the distributor end spring terminal. The early type has a different type of spring contact terminal at the switch end and I don't know if there are any replacements that include that terminal. A lot of replacements are made to "look like" the original but may not actually be configured like the original. The late type should be a safer bet with just a wire coming out the top end.

[1crosscut]

I won't be tossing any of the parts as I usually don't. My children will probably curse me for this when I'm gone.

Thanks for the measurements.

[katy]

Did you get it back together and running?

[1crosscut]

Originally Posted by katy

Did you get it back together and running?

Ordered the replacement cable this morning and it should be here by Thursday. Disassembled, cleaned and re-assembled the pop out switch yesterday. Car runs fine now with a jumper wire.